


Past, Present, Future

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-16
Updated: 2006-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-01 11:23:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/356163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex receives his Valentine's Day gift from Clark while at the LuthorCorp board meeting, prompting him to figure out the perfect gift in return.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Past, Present, Future

## Past, Present, Future

by Magdelena

<http://members.cox.net/magdelena1969>

* * *

_Summary_ : Lex receives his Valentine's Day gift from Clark while at the LuthorCorp board meeting, prompting him to figure out the perfect gift in return. 

_Disclaimer_ : I do not own any of the characters herein (only the plot). The characters of Clark Kent, Superman and Lex Luthor are the property of their creators and DC Comics. Smallville is owned by Gough/Millar Inc and the WB Network TV. All the characters in the Harry Potter universe belong exclusively to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and anyone else JKR chooses to allow to play with them. I am publishing my fanfiction writings only for my own selfish desire to be a part of their world and receive nothing in return. 

*A/N #1*: Dedicated to Charlene, who was the person responsible for welcoming me into LJ-land, introducing me to the fine art of IM chatting, and who singlehandedly sucked me into the Smallville fandom. You are always there for me, willing to brainstorm with me, read over something for me, and otherwise give of yourself. I consider myself lucky to count you as one of my friends. Happy Valentine's Day! 

*A/N #2*: This is very AU. I know, big surprise coming from me. LuthorCorp still owns the Smallville plant. Lex has been running it for four years now, but has plans to lead an employee buyout soon, just before turning in his resignation to Lionel and returning to finish his doctorate at whatever university Clark enrolls in. Thanks to Sev1970 for betaing for me. 

* * *

Lex sat in the LuthorCorp board meeting thinking exactly how appropriate it was that the rooms were named as such, considering how very 'bored' he was. His father had been ranting on for nearly half an hour about production levels in this or that venture, forcing Lex to stay until the very end of the meeting before giving his report on the Smallville plant. 

Lex found his mind drifting to the present he had bought Clark for Valentine's Day, and bemoaning the fact that he wasn't even in Smallville to celebrate the holiday with his boyfriend. Over the years, the Kents had become more accepting of Lex's penchant for expensive gifts, but Lex had strived to keep things as simple as possible, not wanting to push his luck. Therefore, he had been baffled about what to get Clark for their first Valentine's Day as a couple. He had finally settled on a sterling silver set of cufflinks, engraved with Clark's initials. 

He was drawn out of his musings as the door to the boardroom slid open, and a young woman entered. It wasn't unusual for secretaries of the various executives to wander in and out of the meetings since these affairs often lasted most of the day. They would typically have a sheaf of papers for their bosses to sign, or an emergency call for the board members to take in a quiet corner of the room, but as Lex didn't have any staff located in LuthorCorp Towers, he usually had to put off an entire day's worth of work in order to attend. Thus, he was usually 'rewarded' with several late nights at the plant making up for the time he had missed. 

Therefore he was duly surprised when the young woman in question approached him with a thick envelope containing what Lex thought might be a large framed photograph, judging by its weight and shape. Lex nodded his thanks to the girl and slit the envelope open, sliding the contents out into his lap. A note, on plain notebook paper, taped over the face of the frame, blocked his view of most of the glass. On the paper, in Clark's spidery scrawl, was a short note. 

_Lex_ , 

_I_ _know_ _you_ _probably_ _won_ ' _t_ _even_ _make_ _it_ _back_ _to_ _Smallville_ _tonight_ , _but_ _I_ _wanted_ _you_ _to_ _have_ _your_ _present_ _on_ _Valentine_ ' _s_ _Day_. _This_ _is_ _a_ _picture_ _to_ _remind_ _you_ _after_ _you_ ' _ve_ _been_ _forced_ _to_ _listen_ _to_ _Lionel_ '*s _ranting_ _all_ _day_ , _that_ _there_ _have_ _been_ , _are_ , _and_ _will_ _always_ _be_ , _people_ _who_ _love_ _you_. 

_Call_ _me_ _when_ _you_ _can_. 

_All_ _my_ _love_ ,  
 _Clark_

_P_. _S_. _Mom_ _helped_ _with_ _it_. _P_. _P_. _S_. _And_ , _no_ , _I_ _don_ ' _t_ _have_ _any_ _newly_ _developed_ _powers_ _that_ _I_ _haven_ ' _t_ _clued_ _you_ _in_ _on_. _If_ _we_ _choose_ _to_ _fulfill_ _my_ _suggestion_ _for_ _one_ _of_ _the_ ' _future_ ' _pictures_ , _we_ ' _ll_ _have_ _to_ _do_ _it_ _in_ _a_ _more_ _traditional_ _manner_. 

Lex was a bit perplexed about Clark's second addendum, but didn't really give it much thought as he decided whether or not to look at his gift further while still in the boardroom. Clark had obviously expected Lex to receive his gift after the meeting had ended, and so Lex steeled himself not to react in any way to what he saw, not wanting to give Lionel any reason to question what might be in the parcel. Although everyone in Smallville who was important to the pair already knew about their relationship, Clark and Lex had been very careful to shun public displays of affection in order to avoid Lionel focusing his attention on Clark or his family, something Lex had insisted on even more strongly after he had become privy to the secret of Clark's origins. 

After a quick glance around the room convinced Lex that no one was paying any undue attention to him, Lex finally gave into his desire and carefully removed the note. He had to force himself not to gasp audibly at the work that had obviously gone into this creation. A simple platinum frame held the collage, and the surface beneath the glass was divided by deep violet colored velvet ribbons into three equal sections. Along the length of each ribbon was repeated the same phrase... 'people who love you', and within each area there was a small tag denoting it as either 'past', 'present', or 'future'. 

In the section labeled 'past', there were the expected pictures of Lillian, Julian and Pamela, but Clark had also included a picture of himself taken just after the Kents had rescued him. Clark's reference to the first time they met, and that he had already loved the boy Lex was, even then, was obvious. Less surprising was the area labeled 'present'. There was the anticipated picture of him and Clark together, but there were also group photographs of him, Clark, and Clark's friends, of Lex, Gabe, and Jonathan standing together at the State Fair Clark had forced Lex to attend, and one of Lex and Martha sitting quietly together as they peeled potatoes in the Kents' kitchen. 

Lex thought he also knew what to expect when he looked at the 'future' pictures, and as anticipated there was another group photo of the Kents, Clark and Lex, as well as one of just he and Clark, taken by Chloe, as they kissed on the Kents' front porch swing. One photo, or rather a lack of one, stunned him, however, almost causing him to lose the disinterested faade he had thus far maintained. It was a small photograph of a bassinette that Lex recognized. He had seen it only once before, when Martha and Jonathan had been preparing for the baby they had lost. Written on the bottom of the photograph, were the words, 'Baby Boy or Baby Girl Kent-Luthor'. 

The realization that Clark did indeed plan to spend his future with Lex was enough to shatter what remained of Lex's insecurities about the solidity of their relationship, and to quiet the murmurings of his unworthiness that always seemed to crop up when he spent time around his father. His lips curved into a bright smile, the kind he usually reserved for Clark alone, and interrupted Lionel's rant. "My apologies, Dad, for interrupting, but something has come up back in Smallville that requires my immediate attention." He nodded to the stack of papers in front of Lionel. "You already have my report on the plant's production. Should you need anything further you can reach me by my cell." 

Lex nodded to the other board members. "Ladies, Gentlemen. As usual, it's been a true pleasure." 

Lionel's bellows for him to return were met with a deaf ear. Lex already had his cell phone out, instructing the pilot to have the helicopter ready for departure in an hour. Suddenly, the Valentine's gift he had picked out for Clark didn't seem like quite nearly enough. If he was going to make it to the jeweler's, pick out an engagement ring for Clark, and make it back in time for dinner at the farm, he would have to hurry. After all, Clark in one simple present had gifted him with a future, the very least he could do would be to reciprocate. 


End file.
